Frank i



Nov. 19, 1929. F.1.TowLl-z f 1,735,885

CONTAINER SPACER Filedl June 9, 1928 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 stares FRANK i. '.rowLn, or s'r. PAUL, MINNESOTA l CONTAINER SPACER Application filed June 9, 1928. Serial No. 284,49.

, This invention relates in general to spacers for irregular shaped containers.

One of the objects of this invention involves the idea of constructing spacers for irregular shaped containersso that vthe containers as sume afsubstantially'regular shape.

A further object of this invention relates to a container spacer for use with irregular shaped containersso that they may be easily stacked in piles or packed in regular shaped boxes.

A further obj ect of this invention involves a container spacer so constructed as to protect the spout or raised portion forming the opening through which the container is filled and emptied. V l

l A further obj ect of this invention involves a container spacer of the above type which is relatively simple and easy to construct, cheap 2U to manufacture, and adapted for rapid production.

These and other objects, as will appear from the following disclosure, are secured by means of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement, relative location of parts, and principles as will be set forth below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

.30 Referring to the drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of one form of irregular shaped container together with the spacer of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the eleav ments of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of maintaining the spacer in operative relation with respect Lto the container.

In the distribution of many kinds of products at thevpresefnt time it is usual to employ i. iid irregular shapedcontainers which oftentimes are made invcharacteristic shapes so as to provide a readymeansfor distinguishing the product. This provides a valuable advertising feature and one which has gone into eX- 30 tensive use. Furthermore, manytypes of contight connecti on.

tainers are provided with spouts or capped projections through which the container is filled and emptied. These projections make it hard to pack the containers in boxes or to stack them on shelves because they, in

- effect, destroy the regularity of form of the container. The principle involved in this invention is to provide a spacer sovshaped, depending upon the shape of the container, to in effect. restore the container to a regular shape, as for instance rectangular, so that, as

is apparent, they maybe easily packed and stacked. t

For abetter understanding of the invention and the principles thereof reference is made to the drawings in which an irregular shaped container is shown at l provided in this case .with a peaked top, as indicated by the edges 2, 2. Thepcontainer is provided at the ridge formed by the inclined edges with a cylindrical projection or tubing 3 suitably attached to the container to provide a liquid and air- The upper free edge of this projection is provided with a cap/l attached thereto in any suitable manner. En 75 ,closing this cap and rigidly secured thereto,

by beading over for instance, is another cap 5 which forms, by means of the beading 5', a

shoulder for retaining the spacing member 6 on the container. 8O The spacing member 6 is shown with an Aopening therethrough (see Fig. 4) through which the projection 3 extends. The opening 1s too small to permit the passage therethrough of the beaded portion 5f of the cap 85 5 so that the spacing member is maintained on the container. As shown with this form of container thev end pieces of the spacer 6 are cut away Vv-shaped and ianged voutwardly so as to fit the contour of the top of the container. Thetop horizontal portion of the spacer is provided with a depression transversely thereof of suiicient depth to protect the projection 3 and its caps 4 and 5. 1 It will be at once apparent that'by means of this 95 spacer member the container again assumes a substantially rectangular shape so that they may be packed and stacked with ease. yOne particular advantageof this spacer' is that Athe containers may vbe stacked on shelves where the advertising matter thereon may be clearly exposed to vieW.

I have shown this invention as applied to a container having a top formed of tWo inclined surfaces and the spacer shaped accord ingly but it is, of course, understood that the principles of this invention may be applied to any shaped .container and the spacer is shaped accordingly Without departing from the principles of this invention. I am, of course, Well aware that many changes in the details of construction and relative arf rangement of parts Will readily occur to those skilled in this art, as for instance the spacer i may be arranged so that it may be easily removed from the container or it may be hxedly attached thereto in any suitable manner. For instance the hole in the spacerl can be made large enough so that it can be removed from the container when the .container is sold if this is desirable.

I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the exact details of construction and relative arrangement of parts but-rather to the scope of this invention as it is defined in the appended claims.

wWhat I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the type described, the combination comprising an irregular shaped container and a projection attached to the container through Which it is filled and emptied, of a spacer member suitably ,formed so as to overlie the container at its irregular part to give it a substantially regular outline and protect the projecting member.

2'. In a device of the type described, the combination comprising an irregular shaped container and a projection attached to the container through which it is filled and emptied, of a spacer member suitably shaped to overlie the irregular portion of the container vand having an opening therein through which said projection extends and a cap on the spout to close the container and hold the spacer member in place.

3. In a device of the type described, the combination comprising a container having at least one side thereof irregularly shaped, a projecting spout member attached to the container and a cap therefor, of a spacer member enclosing the irregular portion of the container and the spout member so as to give the container a substantially regular outline and protecting the spout member.

4. In a device of the type described, the combination comprising a container, a spout member attached thereto, a spacer element supported on the container and encircling the spout member so as to substantially enclose it.

v5. The combination comprising a container, a spout member projecting therefrom, a spacer element supported on the container having an opening therein through which the spout member projects, and means attached to the spout member for maintaining the spacer element in proper position on the container.

6. In a device of the type described, the

'combination comprising a container having at least one side thereof of irregular .configuration, a spout member projecting from the 

